Evolution

In the training room, Charmander was diligently practicing its Ember attack, flames flaring with determination.

Five days had passed since Charmander defeated Shadow's Zubat. Tyson had successfully completed his assigned task, earning 30 task points as a reward.

The victory and subsequent training had not gone unrewarded for Charmander either. It had learned two new moves: Dragon Breath and Fire Fang.

Dragon Breath: A Dragon-type move with a base power of 60 and a chance to paralyze the opponent.

Fire Fang: A Fire-type move with a base power of 65, carrying a chance to burn the opponent or cause them to flinch.

Currently, Tyson was focused on completing another task: upgrading one of Charmander's move proficiencies to the advanced level.

From the list of available moves, Dragon Breath and Fire Fang were eliminated as candidates—they were still at the basic proficiency level, far from reaching advanced mastery. Given Tyson's desire to conserve his task points for when Charmander reached higher levels, using points to speed up progress wasn't an option.

This left three other moves: Ember, Growl, and Bite. After some consideration, Tyson decided to concentrate on Ember. It was Charmander's most refined move and had the additional benefit of potentially burning opponents, a useful edge despite its relatively low base power.

However, Tyson had underestimated the difficulty of advancing move proficiency to the highest level. Over the past five days, Charmander's mastery of Ember had remained stubbornly stagnant despite its relentless efforts.

Evolution and Its Mysteries

Charmander was now at level 19, just shy of the Excellent tier. Normally, this would trigger evolution in many Pokémon. Yet, Charmander had remained unevolved until now, leaving Tyson puzzled.

Shadow had explained the reason: Pokémon evolution was not as straightforward as it seemed in games. Evolution depended on several factors—strength, emotional readiness, and seizing the right moment.

After evolving, a Pokémon's attributes would naturally improve, making it stronger even without leveling up. However, Pokémon that delayed evolution and trained harder could still outperform their evolved counterparts, though it required significantly more effort.

Tyson thought of Ash's Pikachu, an iconic example. Despite refusing to evolve, it had managed to perform incredible feats, including defeating Legendary Pokémon. Such outcomes, though rare, were a testament to the bond and hard work between trainer and Pokémon.

For now, Tyson believed evolution would benefit Charmander, though he left the choice to the Pokémon itself. Fortunately, Charmander seemed eager to evolve into Charizard, dreaming of soaring through the skies.

"Alright, Charmander, let's take a break for now," Tyson said, noticing his partner was beginning to tire.

He offered Charmander a potion to recover, gently stroking its head. Charmander leaned against him, its head nestled comfortably, resembling a child seeking comfort.

After a brief rest, Charmander stirred. Determination blazed in its eyes as it returned to its training. Its flames burned even hotter this time, its focus unwavering.

Suddenly, Charmander froze. A strange sensation coursed through its body, and its mind resonated with a call—a deep, primal signal. Closing its eyes, Charmander surrendered to the feeling, its body enveloped in radiant white light.

Tyson's heart raced with excitement. Evolution.

Tyson had seen Pokémon evolution countless times in anime, yet witnessing it in person left him awestruck. Evolution was a delicate process; any interruption could leave a Pokémon gravely injured or unable to evolve again.

Maintaining silence, Tyson ensured Charmander was undisturbed. In this secluded training base, he had no worries about outside interference.

The glow gradually faded, revealing Charmander's new form. Charmander had evolved into a Charmeleon—its sleek, horned head, elongated limbs, and sharpened claws radiating strength and readiness for battle.

While evolution often altered a Pokémon's temperament—Charmander being no exception—Tyson wasn't worried. Their bond was strong.

"Congratulations, Charmeleon," Tyson said, extending his hand just as he had when they first met.

For a moment, Charmeleon hesitated. Then, with careful precision, it placed its clawed hand into Tyson's palm, its eyes gleaming with warmth. A soft smile spread across its face, the same endearing expression from when it was a Charmander.

Tyson smiled back. Evolution hadn't changed their connection. If anything, it had made their partnership even stronger.